11 (1) Underlying Tendencies (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven underlying tendencies. What seven? The underlying tendency to sensual lust, the underlying tendency to aversion, the underlying tendency to views, the underlying tendency to doubt, the underlying tendency to conceit, the underlying tendency to lust for existence, and the underlying tendency to ignorance. These are the seven underlying tendencies.”
12 (2) Underlying Tendencies (2)
“Bhikkhus, the spiritual life is lived to abandon and eradicate the seven underlying tendencies. What seven? The underlying tendency to sensual lust, the underlying tendency to aversion, the underlying tendency to views, the underlying tendency to doubt, the underlying tendency to conceit, the underlying tendency to lust for existence, and the underlying tendency to ignorance. The spiritual life is lived to abandon and eradicate these seven underlying tendencies.
“When a bhikkhu has abandoned the underlying tendency to sensual lust, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising; when he has abandoned the underlying tendency to aversion … the underlying tendency to views … the underlying tendency to doubt … the underlying tendency to conceit … the underlying tendency to lust for existence … the underlying tendency to ignorance, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising, he is then called a bhikkhu without underlying tendencies,1460 one who has cut off craving, stripped off the fetter, and by completely breaking through conceit, has made an end of suffering.” [10]
13 (3) Families
“Bhikkhus, possessing seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is not worth approaching, or one that has been approached is not worth sitting with.1461 What seven? (1) They do not rise up in an agreeable way.1462 (2) They do not pay homage in an agreeable way. (3) They do not offer a seat in an agreeable way. (4) They hide what they have from one. (5) Even when they have much, they give little. (6) Even when they have excellent things, they give coarse things. (7) They give without respect, not respectfully. Possessing these seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is not worth approaching, or one that has been approached is not worth sitting with.
“Bhikkhus, possessing seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is worth approaching or one that has been approached is worth sitting with. What seven? (1) They rise up in an agreeable way. (2) They pay homage in an agreeable way. (3) They offer a seat in an agreeable way. (4) They do not hide what they have from one. (5) When they have much, they give much. (6) When they have excellent things, they give excellent things. (7) They give respectfully, not without respect. Possessing these seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is worth approaching, or one that has been approached is worth sitting with.”
14 (4) Persons
“Bhikkhus, these seven persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven? The one liberated in both respects, the one liberated by wisdom, the body witness, the one attained to view, the one liberated by faith, the Dhamma follower, and the faith follower. [11] These seven persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”1463
15 (5) Similar to Those in Water
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water. What seven? (1) Here, some person has gone under once and remains under. (2) Some person has risen up and then goes under. (3) Some person has risen up and stays there. (4) Some person has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around. (5) Some person has risen up and crosses over. (6) Some person has risen up and gained a firm foothold. (7) Some person has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground.1464
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who has gone under once and remains under? Here, some person possesses exclusively black, unwholesome qualities. In this way a person is one who has gone under once and remains under.
(2) “And how is a person one who has risen up and then goes under? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral shame in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is moral dread in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is energy in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ However, his faith does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. His sense of moral shame … moral dread … energy … wisdom does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. In this way a person is one who has risen up and then goes under.
(3) “And how is a person one who has risen up and stays put? [12] Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities … good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ His faith neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put. His sense of moral shame … his moral dread … his energy … his wisdom neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put. In this way a person is one who has risen up and stays put.
(4) “And how is a person one who has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities … good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of three fetters, this person is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to [rebirth in] the lower world, fixed in destiny, heading for enlightenment. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around.
(5) “And how is a person one who has risen up and is crossing over? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities … good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of greed, hatred, and delusion, this person is a once-returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, will make an end of suffering. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and is crossing over.
(6) “And how is a person one who has risen up and attained a firm foothold? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities … good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he is of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without returning from that world. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and gained a firm foothold.
(7) “And how is a person one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground? [13] Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral shame in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is moral dread in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is energy in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground.
“These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water.”
16 (6) Impermanence
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
(2) “Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. For him the exhaustion of the taints and the exhaustion of life occur simultaneously.1465 This is the second kind of person worthy of gifts….
(3) “Again, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With [14] the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.1466 This is the third kind of person worthy of gifts….
(4) “… With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna upon landing.1467 This is the fourth kind of person worthy of gifts….
(5) “… With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna without exertion.1468 This is the fifth kind of person worthy of gifts….
(6) “… With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna through exertion. This is the sixth kind of person worthy of gifts….
(7) “Again, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm.1469 This is the seventh kind of person worthy of gifts….
“These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
17 (7) Suffering
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating suffering in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving suffering, experiencing suffering, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
[The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating suffering in all conditioned phenomena.]
18 (8) Non-Self1470
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating non-self in all phenomena,1471 perceiving non-self, experiencing non-self, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
[The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating non-self in all phenomena.]
19 (9) Happiness
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?
“Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating the happiness in nibbāna, perceiving such happiness, experiencing such happiness, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
[The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating the happiness in nibbāna.] [15]
20 (10) Bases for [Being] “Ten-less”
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven bases for [being] ‘ten-less.’1472 What seven?
“Here, (1) a bhikkhu has a keen desire to undertake the training and does not lose his fondness for undertaking the training in the future. (2) He has a strong desire to attend to the Dhamma and does not lose his fondness for attending to the Dhamma in the future. (3) He has a strong desire to remove vain wishes and does not lose his fondness for removing vain wishes in the future.1473 (4) He has a strong desire for seclusion and does not lose his fondness for seclusion in the future. (5) He has a strong desire to arouse energy and does not lose his fondness for arousing energy in the future. (6) He has a strong desire for mindfulness and alertness and does not lose his fondness for mindfulness and alertness in the future. (7) He has a strong desire to penetrate by view and does not lose his fondness for penetrating by view in the future. These are the seven bases for [being] ‘ten-less.’”
1460 Niranusayo is not in Be or Ee. Ee notes variant readings in manuscripts. But see SN IV 205,17, where Be has niranusayo, as against Ce and Ee pahīnarāgānusayo.
1461 This is stated from the perspective of monastics thinking to approach families for alms.
1462 Mp: “They do not rise up from their seats in a humble manner but show disrespect.”
1463 The seven are explained in detail at MN 70.14–21, I 477–79. In brief, the one liberated in both respects and the one liberated by wisdom are two kinds of arahants, distinguished by whether or not they possess the “peaceful formless emancipations transcending form.” The body witness, the one attained to view, and the one liberated by faith are three kinds of trainees, who can range anywhere from stream-enterer to one on the path to arahantship; they have already been discussed at 3:21. The Dhamma follower and the faith follower are two types who have entered the path to stream-entry but have not yet realized the fruit; they are distinguished according to whether wisdom or faith is their dominant faculty. The process by which they enter the path is described at SN 25:1, III 225.
1464 Pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo. Here, “brahmin” is used as a synonym for the arahant. See in this connection 4:5 §4 and SN 35:228, IV 157,19–20.
1465 At Pp 13 (Be §16) this person is called a samasīsī, lit., “a same-header.” Mp explains that there are four kinds of samasīsī. (1) One who has been ill and attains the destruction of the taints at the same time that he recovers from the illness is called an “illness same-header” (rogasamasīsī). (2) One who has been afflicted with a severe painful feeling and attains the destruction of the taints at the same time that he overcomes the pain is called a “feeling same-header” (vedanāsamasīsī). (3) One who has been practicing insight in a particular posture and attains the destruction of the taints at the same time that he breaks the posture is called a “posture same-header” (iriyāpathasamasīsī). (4) And one who attains the destruction of the taints at the same time that his life ends is called a “life same-header” (jīvitasamasīsī). In this sutta, the “life same-header” is intended.
1466 Antarāparinibbāyī. Lit., “one who attains nibbāna in between (or along the way).” Pp 16 (Be §36) defines this person as one who eliminates the five lower fetters, takes spontaneous birth, and then, either immediately after being reborn or (at the latest) before reaching the middle of the life span, generates the path for abandoning the five higher fetters. Similarly, Mp defines this type as a person who is reborn somewhere among the pure abodes (suddhāvāsesu) and then attains arahantship either at the time of rebirth, slightly afterward, or before reaching the middle of the life span. In spite of these authorized definitions, I believe there is textual evidence that the name of this type should be understood to mean literally that he attains the destruction of the taints in between or along the way (antarā), that is, between two lives, and then attains final nibbāna without taking rebirth at all. See 4:131 and p. 1701, note 829. I give further arguments for this interpretation below in note 1536 on p. 1782.
1467 Upahaccaparinibbāyī. Both Pp 17 (Be §37) and Mp define this type as one who eliminates the five lower fetters, takes spontaneous rebirth (in the pure abodes), and then reaches arahantship after passing the middle of the life span or, at the latest, at the time of death. Again, as I will maintain in relation to 7:55, there are suggestions in the Nikāyas that this type is one who attains the destruction of the taints almost immediately after taking rebirth in the pure abodes. See p. 1782, note 1537.
1468 The difference between (5) and (6) is probably determined primarily on the basis of the amount of effort they must put forth to win the goal. Pp 17 (Be §§38–39) says merely that one generates the path without effort and the other as the result of effort. In any case, on the commentarial interpretation these two become, not separate types of non-returners, but two modes in which the first two types (the antarāparinibbāyī and the upahaccaparinibbāyī) attain nibbāna. Such an explanation would reduce the distinct types of non-returners to three. This would override the sequential and mutually exclusive nature of the five types, which is implied by the fivefold classification and strongly suggested by the similes of 7:55.
1469 See p. 1701, note 828.
1470 By using ellipsis points, Ee incorporates 7:18 and 7:19 into 7:17, and thus at this point its numbering falls two short of my own. My numbering follows Ce and Be in counting the expositions based on non-self and nibbāna as distinct suttas.
1471 Whereas the contemplations of impermanence and suffering are directed toward all conditioned phenomena (sabbasaṅkhāresu), the contemplation of non-self is directed toward all phenomena without qualification (sabbadhammesu).
1472 Niddasavatthūni. PED takes niddasa to be a wrong reading for niddesa and explains the compound to mean “object of distinction, or praise.” SED sv nirdaśa gives “more than ten days old, happened more than ten days ago.” The expression itself, however, has no necessary connection with days and could also be explained by taking ni to be a privative prefix and thus meaning “without ten.” Thus as used here it might just as well mean “without ten years.” Mp accepts the reading as given and offers an explanation, which I translate just below. It could be that the original meaning of the expression is irretrievably lost and in interpreting it we have nothing to rely on but conjecture. There are no identified Chinese parallels to this sutta or to 7:42–43 below to serve as a check.
Here is Mp: “The question [‘How is one tenless?’] is said to have arisen among the outside sectarians. For they call a Nigaṇṭha [a Jain ascetic] niddaso (“ten-less”) who has died at the time he is ten years of age [dasavassakāle; or: “at the time he has ten years’ seniority” (as an ascetic)?]. For, it is said, he does not become ten years of age again. And not only doesn’t he become ten years of age again, [he doesn’t become] nine years of age or even one year of age. In this way, they call a Nigaṇṭha who is dead at the age of twenty years, and so on, nibbīso (‘twenty-less’), nittiṃso (‘thirty-less’), niccattālīso (‘forty-less’), nippaññāso (‘fifty-less’). When Ānanda was wandering in the village, he heard this discussion and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said: ‘This is not a designation for the sectarians, Ānanda, but for the taint-destroyer [arahant] in my teaching.’ For if the taint-destroyer attains final nibbāna when he is ten years of age [or: has ten years’ seniority?], he does not become one of ten years again. Not only one of ten years, he doesn’t become one of nine years … of a single year. Not only one of a single year, he doesn’t become one of eleven months … nor even one of a single moment. Why? Because he never again takes rebirth. The same method for one who is ‘twenty-less’ and so on. Thus the Blessed One begins this teaching to show the causes for becoming one who is ‘ten-less.’”
1473 Icchāvinaye tibbacchando hoti āyatiñca icchāvinaye avigatapemo. I here render icchā as “vain wishes” and chanda as “desire.” Mp glosses icchā with taṇhā, craving.